Improvement in caps



I proper way, and l is alining or filling which UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

I. It. GIT'rENs, JE., OE GREEN POINT, NEw'YORK.

IMPROVEMENT IN CAPS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 33,386, dated October 1, 1861.

To all whom it may cou/cern:

Beit known that l, I. K. GITTENS, J r., of Green Point, in the county of Kings and State of New York, have invented a new and Improved Cap or Hat and Havelock, designed for the use Of soldiers; and I do hereby decla-re that the following is a full, clear, and exact description of the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, Inaking a part of this specification, in which- Figure l is a side view of my invention; Fig. 2, a detached verticalzsection Of the lining of the cap shown in Fig. l.

Similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts in the two figures.

This invention consists in interposing a layer of cork between the body of the cap or hat and the lining, and also having the havelock lined or filled with the same material, which, on account Ot' its non-conducting property, keeps the head cool as well as the neck, and also admits of perfect ventilation, asa thin layer Of cork is quite porous.

To enable those skilled in the art to fully understand and construct my invention, l will proceed to describe it.

A represents a military fatigue-cap, which may be constructed in the usual or in any ismade oftthin pieces of cork glued or otherwIse secured together, and in a form to correspond precisely with the interior Of the cap, so that itl may extend from the crown to the lower edge of the cap and fit snugly therein.- This cork lining B is shown clearly in Fig. 2, and it will be seen by referring to this figure that the cork is quite porous on account of its being cut extremely thin, the small hard Or knotty substances of the cork falling out of the thin strips and leaving holes d, which serve as ventilators. The crown b of the cork lining B may be rather thicker than the other part, as the crown is not compressed or rolled like the other part, the latter being suflicientl y thin to admit of the cap being rolled or compressed within a small compass without" in- Jury.

The cap A is provided with the ordinary silk or thin cloth lining c, which is placed over the cork lining Or lling B. (See Fig-1.)

D represents a havelock, which may be of the usual form, but constructed of thin strips of cork E, covered with any suitable cloth c, m'uslin or linen, for instance. The strips of cork E are equally as thin as that in the cap A, so as to admit of the cork being porous and capable of being rolled or folded without injury.

Cork, as is well known, is a bad conductor of heat, and consequently a cap or hat and a haveloek constructed, as described, with a cork filling will be very efficient in protecting the wearer from the heat.

The perforations d, while affording ventilation, do not allow of any appreciable amount of moisture passing through, and the solid portion being non-absorbent the head of the wearer will be kept dryin not weather. The same may be said of the havelock D. y

The advantage of the havelock provided with the cork filling over the ordinary muslin or Woolen ones is obvious. The havelock may be attached to the lower edge and back part of the cap or hat by means of buttons and loops.

l do not claim, broadly, a cap or hat lined with a thin sheet Or layer of cork, for such device has been previously used; but

I do claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent- The combination of a cap or hat A and haveloek D, provided each with a lining or filling of cork, substantially as set forth.

l. lx'. Gl'lTENS, JR.

iVitnesses.V

M. M. LIVINGSTON, `JAI/Ins LAIRD. 

